Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-09
HERR PAULUS,
HIS RISE, HIS GREATNESS AND HIS
FALL.
by waiter Bssant, Author of "All Sorts
and Conditions OF Men, etc. etc.

BOOK THE SECOND.


Everybody remembers that Hateful
morning when the news of the Great
Smash brought dismay upon thousands,
and opened the doors of the Workhouse
to hundreds when the weeping of women
and the curses of men were borne upon
the wings Of the wind, and flew abroad
into all lands. and hung over the great
City of London like n fog when the
guilty directors would have called upon
the rocks to cover them-if there had
been any ToCkS-from the wrath of the
shareholders and from one end of the
land to the other one event alone occu-
pied all minds; though the Gear might
imagine vain things, and though the
dynamter was abroad.
On that morning Paul came downstairs
little later than usual, and appeared in
the breakfast room with his customary
cheerful mien, ready with an affectionate
smile for Lady Augusta, a cold greeting
Tor Sbyl, and a warm pressure of the hand
for Ciceiy. At the aspect of the assem-
bled party however his flow of spirits ex.
perienced a most disagreeable check. 1t
was just as if a sparkling and vivacious
mountain stream, prepared to run gaily
down the valley babbling over the stones,
with here and there a trout, and here and
there graylinR, were to meet big in
surmountable and ugly dam. behind
which it would be compelled to accumu
late-mountain stream language for labor
until a lake should be formed.
There was not, on any face, not even on
that of Lady Augusta, the least response
TO Paul's smile of greeting. They all
turned and saw him, and then looked
blankly at each other
Something had happened.
When one says something one under
stands the word disastrous. On the faces
of all present, in their attitude in their
eyes, that fact was apparent Confusion,
CONSERVATION, Amusement, dismay-this
beloved goddess has all these names and
more-reigaed in that breakfast room
She manifested her dread sway in various
ways, according to the disposition and
the age of each. Mr.. Brudenel sat up
right his pale cheeks, his terror. stricken
eyes, his open lips, his trembling hands,
would have caused him, in the last cen.
tury, which was time of great tender
ness and deep feeling, to be likened unto
stuck pig--pity and sympathy could not
be more tttingly illustrated than by this
simile, Whatever had happened, it af-
Iected him most painfully. Lady Augusta
was standing over him, her hands clasped,
and prolonged ooh - still visible upon
her lips, though the sound of it was only
family heard echoed among the cups and
saucers. Slbyl. in charge of the teapot,
As usual, had risen in her place and was
now looking-not at her father-but ut
Tom-witn eyes full of pain and amaze
ment. Clcely held out her hands help
!essly. as ii feeling for support Tom who
was also standing, had the paper IN his
aands-he had caught it as it fell from his
guardian's hands and nuttered toward the
Ioor: and he was reading something
which appeared to interest him greatly
but did not cause his eyes to dance with
mirth and joy. That is not, somehow, the
function OF the daily paper, When l es-
tablish that morning journal which will
Iample the life out of all the rest, I shall
call 1t the Daily Saddener.
Something has happened ?" Paul
asked.
Considering how great thing had hap
pened how extraordinary were his own
powers. and how peculiar were his faci,i-
ties for obtaining information how ready
OF access for him was the Universal In
telligence Department, this question was
weak. He felt Immediately how weak it
was, and wished that he had taken his
place in silence.
OH Paul ~ said Lady Augusta.
Was there reproach in her voice.
He suspected nothing in spite of the
knowledge he had obtained and the ad
vice he had given to Mr.. James Berry he
had at this moment no suspicion at al OF
what had happened,
Tom looked up from the paper.
Something has happened, he said
lis it in the paper ~
Tom laughed, but not mirthfully
You don't mean to say you have beeu
eft in ignorance of IL -
II have been told nothing"
" wonder you were not told last night
wonder you were not permitted to proph
esy the event. 1t would have been some
ching to have learned what was coming
even fortnight ago. Come to think OF it
Paul, your Friends have behaved in a mos
unhandsome way not to have warned you
of it.
Meantime. l know Eothing.n
What's the use Of Friends who won,
tell man beforehand. and prevent PEG
PIE from coming to grief ," Tom contin
"Oh~ Mr. Brudenel groaned. "Al
this time wasted in discussion about phil
osophy, when single word of caution
might have saved us. l remember wher
one OF Chicks spirits warned an inquire,
against voyage in which the ship was cas-
away. One Of Emmanuel Chicks spirits
Friends could do nothing r'
Paul ~ said Lady Augusta solemnly
"a great and most unexpected blow ha
fallen upon us. Nothing could he NOR
unexpected. Hardly any disaster conlt
be heavier. IL is so terrible a calamit,
tiitsS 4 Chuuob lTOIh asking, HK
my husband. why your friends Shout,
have permitted it ~
81 know now" said Paul. "Brudepe
aad Company have failed"
GU have seen the paper then :"
mo, have Just been told. The Com
pany has tailed. tits complete collapse
Three fortlnes-Sibyl's. Cicely's, an,
your own, som-were invested in it an,
are lost, ! daresay hopelessly, because tn
shareholders will get nothing. That /
ohenews in to days paper, is It not %
That Is the blow. Paul.
1T is only money, then, after ALL" Ia
said, astonished. why do YOU look 8
distressed 7"
Only money p said Tom. "Ouly OH
little all that has vanished ~
What of that Let us have break
fast"
He sat down, and without paying an
more attention to the distress OF hi
friends he looked round the table an,
considered what he would take for hi
breakfast, He began with little FISH
Keeping an eye on some sausages, remem
bering that the ham on the sideboard wa
aYchtjaDt- and tbipE KING tbot a bo;Iod 80,